Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c31.2733

v2.c31.2733

Māra.—Generally regarded as the personification of Death, the Evil One, the Tempter (the Buddhist counterpart of the Devil or Principle of Destruction). The legends concerning Māra are, in the books, very involved and defy any attempts at unravelling them. In the latest accounts, mention is made of five Māras—Khandha-Māra, Kilesa-Māra, Abhisaṅkhāra-Māra, Maccu-Māra and Devaputta-Māra—as shown in the following quotations: *pañcannam pi Mārānam vijayato jino* (ThagA. ii. 16); *sabbāmittehi khandhakilesābhisaṅkhāramaccudevaputtasaṅkhāte sabbapaccatthike* (ThagA. ii. 46); *saṅkhepato vā pañcakilesakhandhābhisaṅkhāradevaputtamaccumāre abhañji, tasmā . . . bhagavā ti vuccati* (Vsm. 211). Elsewhere, however, Māra is spoken of as one, three, or four. Where Māra is one, the reference is generally either to the *kilesas* or to Death. Thus: *Mārenāti kilesamārena* (ItvA. 197); *Mārassa visaye ti kilesamārassa visaye* (ThagA. ii. 70); *jetvāna maccuno senam vimokkhena anāvaran ti lokattayābhibyāpanato diyaḍḍhasahassādi-vibhāgato ca vipulattā aññehi avāritum paṭisedhetum asakkuneyyattā ca maccuno, Mārassa, senam vimokkhena ariyamaggena jetvā* (ItvA. 198); *Mārasenā ti ettha satte anatthe niyojento māretīti Māro* (UdA. 325); *nihato Māro bodhimūle* ti vihato samucchinno kilesamāro bodhirukkhamūle (Netti Cty. 235); vasam Mārassa gacchatīti kilesamārassa ca sattamārassa (?) ca vasam gacchi (Netti, p. 86); tato sukhumataram Mārabandhanan ti kilesabandhanam pan’ etam tato sukhumataram (SA. iii. 82); Māro māro ti maraṇam pucchati, māradhammo ti maraṇadhammo (SA. ii. 246).